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Al-Sultan says he’s in prime condition and is aiming for a podium spot at Sunday’s race in Singapore.

Athletes competing in an Ironman race have often been called a special breed. For it is no mean feat to finish a route consisting of a 3.86km open water swim, a 180.25km bike race and a 42.195km run – all in just over eight hours.

It is also precisely for this reason that others think they are a bunch of crazies.

Germany’s 2005 world champion Faris Al-Sultan would like to believe his lot belong in the first category.

“Due to the fact that we combine three different disciplines into an eight-hour race, the sport is special in the sense that you don’t have a moment to relax,” the 33-year-old told MediaCorp from Dubai before boarding his flight for Singapore yesterday.

Conceding that it takes special qualities to be in his sport because of the combination of events, he added: “The race is painful, that is how it is supposed to be.

“It is a very self-centered sport and to some degree you have to enjoy that kind of pain and how to forget it during the competition. You have to be a little masochistic, otherwise it is impossible to finish the race, or it will slow you down.”